New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is recovering his footing in the 2016 presidential race in Iowa and slowly gaining ground against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, said a new poll released Monday.
The Quinnipiac University poll showed the Republican governor trailing Mrs. Clinton 44 percent to 36 percent in a theoretical match-up, compared to 48 percent to 35 percent in a March survey.
Mr. Christie’s presidential ambitions were hobbled last year by the “Bridgegate” scandal, in which a top Christie aide was implicated in ordering traffic-snarling lane closures on the George Washington Bridge as political retribution against a Democratic mayor in an adjacent town.
“Things are getting a bit better in Iowa for New Jersey Gov. Christopher Christie,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac Poll. “But the Republican contender, who was ahead of [former] Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Iowa before ’Bridgegate’ took him down several pegs, still has a ways to go.”
Mrs. Clinton hasn’t announced her run but remains the early favorite for the Democratic presidential nomination.
She leads against other possible Republican 2016 contenders in Iowa:
• 46-40 percent over Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky;
• 46-39 percent over former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee;
• 49-36 percent over former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush;
• 47-41 percent over Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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